Is second dose the same as the first?

By Lois K. Solomon

We’re collecting and answering your questions about the COVID19 vaccines. Submit your question using this form or email Lois Solomon at lsolomon@sunsentinel. com.

Q. “Are the first and second shots exactly the same or is the second a different composition? We are in our mid-80s and having driven two hours each way for our first Moderna shot, we would like to schedule the second one closer. I know that our second must also be Moderna, but I am worried that if they are not identical, we may not get the proper dosage.” — B. Cohen

A. Whichever brand you receive, the first and second doses are identical. According to Dr. Joanna Drowos, associate professor of family medicine at Florida Atlantic University, the studies showing how well the vaccines work were standardized with the same amount of vaccine for both doses at specific intervals. She said it’s essential to make sure you get both doses and that they be from the same manufacturer.

“Receiving the second dose is important, as the first primes your immune system to fight the infection, while the second increases and differentiates the kind of antibodies that you would need in order to be maximally protected,” she said. “I am sorry to hear that you had to travel so far to receive the first vaccine, and obviously a closer site would be easier. The challenge may be in securing an appointment in time

They served in the military decades ago, often putting their lives on the line for their country.

But aging veterans are learning that their sacrifice may not guarantee them a COVID-19 vaccine at a Veterans Affairs clinic.

Army veteran Paul Jacobs, 91, found out the hard way.

Jacobs showed up at the VA clinic in West Palm Beach on Sunday hoping to get the shot, but he says he was turned away three hours later because he makes too much money.

“It’s not fair that they turned us away,” he said. “It was just a shame that veterans were discriminated against because of their income.”

Years ago, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs offered medical care to nearly all military vets. That changed in 2003, when the underfunded and overburdened agency imposed income limits.

To receive cost-free VA health care, veterans can’t make more than certain amounts depending on where they live, said Kenita Tills, public affairs officer for the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center.

For those who live in Palm Beach County, the limit ranges from $51,535 for a veteran with no dependents to $58,905 for a veteran with one dependent. In Broward County, the limit increases to $51,865 and $59,290, respectively.

The VA sent out notices saying eligible vets 70 and over could get vaccine shots, no appointment

Find out where seniors can get vaccinations. Veterans wait in line for the COVID-19 vaccine at the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center on Saturday. Some were turned away because they didn’t meet income limits.